Tomatoes, like any other vegetable crops, require proper care. They especially need additional nutrition with nutrients during the period of planting seedlings in a permanent place in the ground. Only with proper care will tomatoes respond with a rich harvest as a sign of gratitude.
Proper feeding of tomatoes
Tomatoes need feeding not only during transplantation of seedlings, but also at all stages of growth and development. Preliminary work with the soil in the autumn is also important. When plowing a plot before winter, it is necessary to fertilize it with rotted manure (humus) or compost. With the onset of spring, the following mineral fertilizers are additionally introduced into the soil:
Tomatoes go through several stages during ripening, at each of which they need additional nutrients. The fertilizer applied to the soil should be different in composition each time. Basically, during the entire growth period, tomatoes need feeding four times. Most of all, additional nutrition is required by the root system of a vegetable crop, since it is through it that the entire plant as a whole is fed.
Determining the type of fertilizer for a vegetable is quite simple; just carefully examine its leaves, stem, and fruits. It is also necessary to take into account the climatic conditions of the region, how fertile the soil is, its composition, etc. For example, if the summer is hot and dry, then the amount of potassium introduced into the soil should be minimal, but in cool and rainy summers the soil really needs this chemical element.
Fertilizing tomatoes at the root
An excellent way to feed tomato seedlings after planting them in a permanent place is yeast. During the entire growing season, this type of fertilizer is applied only twice. If you overdo it with yeast irrigation, then instead of fruits, only thick greens will form on the plants. The crop especially urgently needs such an additive during the period of planting seedlings. This is when tomatoes begin to gain strength, and for this they need good roots and strong stems.
The feeding recipe is quite simple. It only requires one main ingredient - regular baker's yeast. A kilogram of the product is diluted in a 5-liter container, after which the solution is infused for a day. Next, the scheme is extremely simple: half a liter of yeast infusion goes into a bucket of water. The mixture is watered at the roots of tomato bushes. This is the easiest and fastest recipe. Some summer residents add chicken droppings, herbal infusions and much more to the solution to enhance the effect of fertilizing.
It should be remembered that fertilizing and watering plants are not the same thing. Fertilizer is introduced into the soil only after watering. If everything is done correctly, the result will not take long to arrive. In just a week you will see the fruits of your labor.
There is another fairly simple recipe for yeast fertilizer. To do this, you will need the following products: 0.5 cups of granulated sugar and 100 g of live yeast. All ingredients are poured into a 3-liter jar and filled with warm water. Afterwards the composition is sent to a warm place where it will ferment for several days. The mixture is shaken periodically. After the fermentation process is completed, the resulting infusion is watered over the tomato seedlings. A glass of “mash” is diluted in a 10-liter bucket. One liter of prepared fertilizer goes under the tomato bush.
Fertilizing tomatoes with yeast
After transplanting a tomato into a greenhouse or open ground, it is necessary to give the plants time to acclimatize. For 2 weeks you cannot do anything with them, including feeding them with various types of fertilizers. After the allotted time, when the tomato seedlings get stronger and get used to the new conditions, they will need additional care and they can begin to fight for the harvest. The choice of feeding tomatoes is yours. Here are some guidelines for deciding on plant care choices.
You should be extremely careful with any fertilizers, especially after planting tomato bushes in a permanent place in the ground. Nitrogen-containing additives bring the green mass of the plant into activity, while the fruits stop growing. Thus, the additive should be administered in minimal quantities, especially after transplanting plants. It is better at this stage to use phosphorus-potassium additives for tomatoes: potassium sulfate or ordinary stove ash.
Water the soil with a solution of boric acid to increase the amount of sugar in fruits.
Among organics, the first place is occupied by infusions based on bird droppings, mullein and nettles. Organic fertilizers are introduced into the soil only before the formation of ovaries and the beginning of the fruiting process and in moderate quantities. It is not recommended to use organic matter afterwards.
If, during transplantation, fruit set has already begun, then the following additive can be used. Dilute 2 kg of ash in 5 liters of boiling water, stir and let cool. Then add another 5 liters of water, add a bottle of iodine (10 ml) and boric acid (10 g). The mixture should sit for 24 hours. Before use, dilute a liter of the resulting composition in a 10-liter bucket.
Wood ash as fertilizer for tomatoes
Care during transplantation of tomatoes is needed not only for the root system, but also for the tops. Thanks to this approach, shoot growth is activated, flowers fall less, and the growth of the vegetable crop as a whole improves. Nutrients sprayed over the surface of the foliage are absorbed much faster and better by the crop.
The first time the plant is sprayed after transplanting into the ground in a permanent place with any of the following compositions.
To prepare the solution you will need 1 g of potassium permanganate and 15 g of urea. The components for caring for tomato foliage are diluted in a bucket of water. The composition is suitable for spraying both greenhouse plants and those growing in open ground.
If the summer is dry, most of the flowers do not have time to pollinate and set. Among the microfertilizers for caring for tomatoes, magnesium and boron are suitable, which are indispensable during flowering. Flowers may weaken and fall off. To prevent this from happening, the foliage along with the flowers must be sprayed. To do this, dilute 1 g of boric acid in a liter of water. All greens are sprayed with this composition immediately after transplanting tomatoes into the ground. You can also purchase a ready-made drug “Ovary” in the store, which also copes with the task perfectly.
Foliar feeding of tomatoes is best done in the evening. The weather should be dry. At this time, solutions linger longer on the foliage, which allows them to better demonstrate their effectiveness.
When planting tomato seedlings in the ground, the plants most need additional care. In pursuit of a harvest, give preference to folk remedies that are no worse, and even better, than various chemical compounds. Use herbal infusions, mulch, ash, etc. Chemicals will give a larger harvest, but fruits grown without their use are much tastier and healthier. Caring for tomatoes transplanted into the ground is not difficult, the main thing is to adhere to established standards and not overdo it.
Even experienced gardeners will not be able to definitely say which fertilizer is best to feed tomatoes. There are quite a large number of recipes for fertilizing and methods for using them. Some people use only organic fertilizers, others prefer mineral ones, and some use them alternating one with the other.
Beginners have many questions about how many times and during what period of plant development it needs to be fed. Which method is more effective - spraying or watering at the root. And what fertilizer composition is the most suitable and profitable. Let's try to help resolve all these issues.
To prevent fertilizers from harming plants, they must be applied strictly at a certain stage of crop growth. The correct composition of the fertilizer is also of great importance. It should contain only the nutrients the tomatoes need at the moment.
Most fertilizers are applied at two important stages - planting tomato seedlings in open ground and the beginning of flowering and ovary formation. Sometimes two feedings are enough for the entire summer season, but you can fertilize the plants regularly (2 times a month).
The schedule for applying fertilizers depends on several factors: weather conditions and temperature indicators, soil composition, the “health” of seedlings and much more. The main thing is to give the plants the missing substances and elements in a timely manner.
Approximately 15-20 days after the seedlings appear in the open beds, you can carry out the first fertilizing of the tomatoes. During this short time, the young plants managed to take root and began to gain strength. At the moment, tomato bushes need nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus.
Among the proposed fertilizer options, the base is 10 liters of water, to which the necessary components are added:
Each tomato plant will need approximately 500 milliliters of liquid fertilizer.
This group includes recipes containing phosphorus and potassium. The basis of each recipe is a large bucket of water, consisting of 10 liters:
Each tomato plant requires from 500 milliliters to 1 liter of ready-made fertilizer. The nutrient mixture is poured over the root of the plant.
Along with applying fertilizers by watering, you can also use special beneficial sprays.
For example, sweet spraying based on sugar and boric acid is necessary for tomato bushes during the period of active flowering. This mixture will attract a large number of insects, which will pollinate flowering plants and contribute to better ovary formation. Prepare a solution of 4 grams of boric acid, 200 grams of sugar and 2 liters of hot water. Vegetable crops must be sprayed with a cooled solution at a temperature of about 20 degrees.
In hot and dry weather, flowers on tomato bushes may fall off. You can save them from mass falling by spraying. Add 5 grams of boric acid to a large bucket of water.
Active ripening of tomato fruits begins around the second half of July. It is from this moment that watering and fertilizing are stopped so that the green mass on the plants does not build up, and all efforts are spent on ripening the tomatoes.
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And when they take root and begin to grow, I fertilize them with infusion of chicken manure or liquid compost (fermented infusion of grass).
- use seeds that are resistant to diseases;
Foliar feeding also plays an important role in the growth and development of plants, during which the leaves and stems are sprayed with a weak nutrient solution of fertilizers, spraying it.
20 days after transplanting the seedlings to a permanent place in the greenhouse, you need to carry out the first feeding, dissolving 1 tbsp in 10 liters of water. a spoonful of nitrophoska.
for every 1 m2, During the spring digging of soil in greenhouses made of metal profiles on “rich” soils, you need to add approximately
In order for fruits to form and develop, tomatoes need potassium, and in fairly large quantities. Potassium is also responsible for the resistance of tomatoes to various unfavorable factors, such as temperature fluctuations and various diseases (see Tomato diseases in a greenhouse: their varieties and how to deal with them). If plants lack it, it “signals” by curling the leaves.
magnesium;
in autumn, when digging up the soil, add 4 kg per 1 square m of humus or compost;
Yeast. They are the best plant growth stimulator.
Tomatoes are a rather demanding vegetable crop. This plant actively takes nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus and other minerals from the soil. During seed germination, phosphorus is necessary to enhance the growth of plant roots, it promotes earlier flowering, ripening of tomatoes, increases yield, sugar content and dry matter in fruits. Potassium is necessary for normal fruiting, and nitrogen in ammonia form is necessary for rapid fruit ripening. During budding, flowering and fruit formation, plants need nitrogen and potassium nutrition. If there is a lack of nitrogen or potassium, then plant growth is weakened, and this leads to smaller fruits and reduced yield.
ammophos or as it is also called ammophos, there is a possibility that you will not overdo it and the fertilizer itself is long-lasting
- change the place of planting tomatoes annually;
At a time when mass fruit setting and ripening is occurring, to stimulate both fruit setting and ripening, you can use foliar feeding with 1 teaspoon of superphosphate dissolved in 10 liters of water.
The second application of fertilizers is carried out 10 days after the first fertilizing. For this, dissolve 1 teaspoon of potassium sulfate in 10 liters of water.
immediately before planting, you need to add 1 more tbsp. a spoonful of potassium sulfate and parestol spoons of any nitrogen fertilizer and a glass of any deoxidizing agent, for example, dolomite flour or ash. Then carefully dig up the soil.
3 kg of humus
Tomatoes have high nutritional, taste and dietary qualities.
It all depends on the soil in which the planting is made.
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- destroy affected tomatoes;
In the event that tomato flowers fall off due to the heat because pollination has not occurred, you can apply foliar feeding with a solution of boric acid, taking 5 g (1 teaspoon) per 10 liters of water, or use special preparations.
after planting the seedlings, the first feeding is planned 10-15 days later, and the second - already at the beginning of fruit formation;
Ash is an excellent source of potassium and phosphorus, magnesium, sulfur, zinc and other trace elements. Ash is added to each hole before planting seedlings. To do this, take 3 tablespoons of ash and mix it with the soil. To enrich the soil, 3 cups of ash per 1 square meter is required.
Excess nitrogen negatively affects the growth of tomatoes. It delays fruiting, and there is a high probability of plant diseases.
I add rabbit manure. A neighbor breeds and infuses fresh cow milk. The other is chicken. We have heaps of manure. Whoever has any livestock, we use such manure, we don’t spend money on fertilizers, and in general our land is already good - black soil. - do not plant tomatoes next to potatoes;Foliar feeding is carried out once a month, in the evening, or on a cloudy, not sunny day.
For each plant you need to use 1 liter of working solution
Fertilizer
7 kg of humus
boron, copper, manganese.
To make fruit set faster, use a 0.5% superphosphate solution or boric acid solution. The solution that has settled is drained and sprayed on the tomatoes.
A key role in fruit growth is played by fertilizing the soil when planting tomatoes.
Thus, in order to get a good harvest of tomatoes, you need to create all the necessary conditions.When planting, it is better to add humus. , and fertilize in two weeks, when the seedlings have taken root, either with mineral fertilizers or with manure. - weed the beds;
There is another scheme for how to fertilize tomatoes in a greenhouse, using organic fertilizers.
The whole variety of techniques describing the application of fertilizers can, conditionally, be divided into three groups:
Important: if in the greenhouse in the previous season crops were grown for which a large amount of fertilizers, namely organic ones, were applied, then you should refuse to apply humus. It must be remembered that excessive application of organic fertilizers for tomatoes in a greenhouse will contribute to the formation of a large number of leaves, which will impair the setting and development of fruits.
Soil preparation
Soil enriched with organic materials and biofertilizers is the key to a rich tomato harvest.
For feeding, rotted manure or slurry is used, which is diluted in a ratio of 1:100 (1 kg of manure per 10 liters of water), or any bird droppings. Take 200-250 g per 10 liters of water. All these solutions must be infused for at least a day, or maybe two or three, after which they are watered at the rate of 2-3 liters per plant. Using only mineral fertilizers;
Before planting tomato seedlings in the ground, experienced gardeners recommend drenching the soil with a pink solution of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate). To prepare such a solution, you need to take 1 gram of potassium permanganate and dissolve it in 10 liters of hot water, the temperature of which should be
During autumn digging, if the soil is not very fertile, add organic fertilizers such as humus or rotted manure. Mulch that has served the season can serve as an organic fertilizer.
Also, for normal root growth and development of fruits and seeds, you need to apply phosphorus fertilizers for tomatoes in the greenhouse.
Tomatoes, which most of us call tomatoes, are the favorite vegetable of our gardeners and gardeners. This crop is quite demanding on soil fertility and is very responsive to the application of fertilizers and various fertilizers. So how to fertilize tomatoes in a greenhouse to get a rich harvest? Let's look at all the stages of preparing and fertilizing the soil in a greenhouse for growing tomatoes.
Nitrophoska and other complex fertilizers are applied to tomato seedlings at 0.5 teaspoon per 1 liter of water.
Recently, summer residents have been trying to abandon chemical and artificial fertilizers, preferring natural fertilizers. What to fertilize tomatoes with, everyone chooses for themselves, since there are many options.
When planting, I water the hole very well and add ash; after planting, I don’t water the tomatoes for a week or even two - the roots go down for water and you get a powerful and long root system.
The main pests of tomatoes: snails, slugs, caterpillars, Colorado potato beetles, mites, thrips, woodlice. Each pest and each disease has its own way to combat it; there are a variety of means to protect tomatoes on the market.
Tomatoes need to be pinched (that is, side shoots should be plucked off), if the variety and environment (middle and verified latitudes) require it, then the lower leaves should be removed to the ovary, but if the tomatoes grow in a hot climate, then there is no need to remove the leaves in this way. You should monitor the soil so that it does not dry out or be too wet, and remove weeds. When watering tomatoes, try to prevent water from getting on the leaves, fruits and trunk, as this can cause fungal diseases; the best watering is drip watering.
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The first fertilizing with a smaller amount of solution can be carried out immediately after planting the seedlings in the greenhouse. In the future, feeding is carried out regularly, every 10-15 days.
using only organic fertilizers;
not lower than 600C
During the fall and winter, it will completely decompose and will well fertilize the soil in the greenhouse. For 1 m2 on unfertilized and poor soils with high acidity, add 600-800 g of dolomite flour or lime, as well as
Tip: do not apply fertilizers containing phosphorus at temperatures below
Planting tomatoes begins with the use of superphosphate, 1 tablespoon per hole.
Yeast is one of the best plant growth stimulants.
My grandmother adds Bioplant Flora fertilizer when planting tomatoes. She also tried it on potatoes, cucumbers, even on indoor plants, the result was great. I bought the fertilizer here http://www.zacaz.ru/shop/UID_349.html
For a good tasty harvest, tomatoes need to be fertilized. From the beginning of seedling picking until flowering, feed the tomatoes with mineral fertilizers, and when fruits appear, feed them with potash fertilizers. It would be correct to use granular long-acting fertilizers, which need to be mixed with the soil before planting seedlings, and after the berries set, use special fertilizers for tomatoes, for example: seaweed extract.
In this article we will talk about how to properly plant tomatoes in open ground, discuss the timing of planting different varieties, and also find out whether the planting method can affect the harvest.
When warm spring days arrive, many gardeners begin to prepare their seedlings for planting in the ground. This is a very responsible matter that requires patience and effort. In order to get a good harvest of tomatoes in the future, you need to select seeds and plant them for seedlings. Take care of it, dive, and only then plant it in the beds. Moreover, you cannot make mistakes when planting, otherwise you may not get a big harvest of tomatoes.
All plants are influenced by lunar phases. Because of this, experienced gardeners monitor them and read the recommendations of the lunar calendar. This process allows you to grow vegetables and fruits that will not later be affected by diseases and will give a good result when harvested.
This calendar is easy to use. It indicates on what day this or that work can be carried out. Here you can find out when to plant tomatoes and when not to.
If you are planting tomato seedlings in a heated greenhouse, then begin work at the end of April. Tomatoes should be planted in open areas when there are no longer frosts on the soil. Favorable time is the end of May, the first part of June.
It is better to plant in open ground:
It's great if you have a greenhouse. Thanks to it, you can get a large harvest of tomatoes at the beginning of summer. Especially when the greenhouse is heated. After all, fruit trees are planted in it already in April. And on ordinary days - in the second half of the last month of spring.
When planting plants, pay attention to the temperature conditions of the ground and air. The earth should warm up to 13-16°C, and the air should not be less than 21°C.
It should be noted that climatic conditions are different in different regions, so there can be no talk of uniform dates. In some places you can safely plant tomatoes in open areas at the end of May, but in others only in June.
It’s a pity when the owner has grown the seedlings to perfection, but due to incorrect technology for planting tomatoes, the yield is not what it could be. Here it is important to choose the right scheme for planting fruit trees and carefully observe the distances between tomato bushes.
It also doesn’t hurt to take into account all the above requirements for different varieties of tomatoes. Because there are tall crops that require greater distance between rows and neighboring plants. For low growing bushes tomatoes a gap of 25-30 centimeters is enough from each other. Tall people will need about 40 centimeters of distance and it is advisable not to let them run on the ground, but to tie them up. Also make sure that they do not intertwine with each other.
With a combined planting scheme, place tall bushes in the middle and low-growing bushes at the edges of the bed. This way you will provide convenient access to all tomatoes, it will be easier for you to water them and process them in the future.
IMPORTANT: If you plant tomatoes too close to each other, they will suffer from various diseases and infect neighboring bushes. The air between plants must pass well so that moisture does not accumulate.
This type of planting of tomato seedlings is suitable for tall plants, where it will be important to cultivate row spacing. More precisely, keep the soil loose and remove weeds.
In this situation, each tomato bush is planted at the vertices of the corner of the square, due to which the number of seedlings in each row decreases. In this case, they do not save on the planting area, but if savings are necessary, then two or three bushes are planted as if in a nest right next to each other.
It’s good that using this scheme you can reduce the time for processing tomatoes by 15 working days and reduce labor by half. Thanks to the square planting pattern, fruit yield increases, because processing row spacing using mechanized means is not particularly difficult. Tomatoes suffer less from fungal diseases. After all, they are located at a decent distance from each other.
If you need to plant a lot of tomatoes on one site, then it is better to choose the strip-nesting method of placing bushes. The advantage of this scheme is that nearby tomatoes are more resistant to aggressive weather factors.
With this method, the soil is cut into special furrows, the distance between which is 130 centimeters. Bushes are planted on opposite sides of such furrows. When plants begin to grow, they have 0.3 square meters for this. With this planting, it is easy to carry out mechanized processing of plants and destruction of weeds.
The checkerboard method is ideal for low varieties of tomatoes. Such seedlings should be planted several stems per hole. Plant plants in two rows. Leave a distance between them of 55 centimeters or a little more. If the owner decides to plant the bushes in one stem, then it is better to plant the plants closer to each other. It is enough to leave a distance between rows of 35 centimeters.
Tall varieties with this scheme are planted at a distance of 45 centimeters between plants and 65 centimeters between rows.
The bushes are planted in a checkerboard pattern in strictly rows, as in the diagram in the image below. Plants in the second row are planted as if in squares on a chessboard. Just be sure to maintain row spacing to make it convenient to water and process growing tomatoes.
If you are planning a mechanical method of processing bushes, then make rows (passage between tapes) of 1.5 meters, otherwise one meter is enough.
The method used gives good yield. To grow good tomatoes, you need to ensure high-quality sowing; for this, observe the following features:
Seed treatment details
IMPORTANT: After planting tomatoes in the ground, after some time, when they take root, you should remove the stepsons and arrange the plants (tie them up, point the stems up so that they do not grow on the ground).
If you are planting tall varieties, it is advisable to plant two stems in one hole. This way they won't break off. Even after rooting, get rid of clusters of leaves, leave only the first 6-7. Otherwise, the fruits will take a long time to ripen and you won’t see large tomatoes.
As mentioned above, two seedlings in one hole do not break off, make the plant lush, and do not interfere with each other at all. In order for the seedlings to become well established in this way, they should be planted in prepared soil.
Add 100 g of ash, 10 g of urea, 150 g of mullein, a little sawdust, 20 g of superphosphate to each hole. Then take two stems, bend them slightly and cover them with soil almost up to the top clusters of leaves, so the root system of the tomatoes will be strong. Water the plants only at the roots, try not to spray on the leaves. Plant parsley or Chernobyvtsy flowers next to the bushes, this way you will protect the seedlings from cabbage weed (mole cricket) and other pests.
If you are not an expert in vegetable growing, then don’t worry. Planting seedlings will not be difficult after these tips. In one hour before the process starts water the seedlings so that the roots do not break off when you transfer it to the beds. Also try to pull out the roots of the stems along with the soil, and not tear the root system.
Plant Can carefully place in the hole, on its side, so the root will be stronger. It is advisable that the seedlings be buried deeper in the ground, then in the heat the bushes will not fall to the ground until the root system is strengthened.
IN pour a little humus into the hole, compact the soil so that the plant stands and does not fall after replanting. Watering is initially carried out at the root of the plant. When the tomato bush grows, install pegs and tie the stems so that they do not spread along the ground.
If it's already hot outside and the sun is baking in earnest, then planting seedlings spend in the evening, V cloudy weather, Can plant tomatoes at any time of the day.
Previously, various types of planting tomatoes have already been considered, both for greenhouses and open ground, taking into account the height of the plants. Therefore, the gardener himself must choose the necessary method, or rather the scheme for planting tomatoes, depending on the conditions, irrigation systems, and size of the area.
The main thing is that each plant is provided with the necessary amount of sun, moisture and air circulates between the stems, so that bacteria and harmful microorganisms that lead to tomato diseases do not accumulate.
Medium-sized tomatoes are usually planted at a distance of 55 centimeters from each other. Low-growing tomatoes are planted at a distance of 45 centimeters from each other. Also leave a convenient passage between plants for watering and processing tomatoes.
Immediately after planting tomatoes, compost should be added to the hole to strengthen the roots; urea is used to grow the bushes. It is necessary to water the plants with a solution containing urea a week after planting the seedlings; water the tomatoes a second time with this composition (10 liters of water - 25 g of urea) two weeks later.
If the tomatoes receive an overdose of compost, then the stem and leaves will be strong and dark green. The flowers will fall off.
During the development period, copper sulfate and other drugs.
Immediately after planting the seedlings, they should not be filled with water. One watering every few days is enough; between waterings the soil must be irrigated. The soil should not be allowed to dry out; it is advisable to moisten it regularly. For details about watering, see the article.
In order for the root system to strengthen and the tomatoes to get used to open ground, it takes at least about a week. Only after this period should you water the tomatoes. And after two weeks it is necessary to carry out hilling to the entire height of the stem - but no more than 10 centimeters.
Unfortunately, even in the last month of spring there are frosts. This negatively affects the growth of tomato seedlings and can even cause their death. To prevent this from happening, you should first cover the beds with polyethylene before frost. To do this, you need to study weather forecasts online.
Also, so that the tomatoes do not bake from the heat, they are covered with a special net, which slightly shades them from direct sunlight.
Like all living things, tomatoes tend to get sick. The development of various diseases can be influenced by environmental factors.
Fungal diseases can spoil not only the foliage, but also the root system of the tomato. The fungus is caused by:
If you do not follow all the subtleties of growing tomatoes, then the plants are affected by viral infections (mosaic, aspermia, etc.). It is very difficult to treat such diseases, but they can be prevented. It is enough to follow all the rules for planting tomatoes and processing seeds and plants.
In addition to all the listed ailments, tomatoes also suffer from non-infectious diseases. They arise due to a lack of minerals or an oversaturation with them. In such situations, it is necessary to supplement the crop with magnesium, potassium, or vice versa - to remove components (nitrogen-containing components) from the diet, which prevent a normal harvest.
We continue the conversation about growing tomatoes in open ground. We have already talked about, and now let’s talk about the basic principles of caring for tomatoes, which will allow you to get a good harvest.
Unfortunately, you can’t just stick a plant in the ground and come back for a harvest a couple of months later. If something grows with such an attitude, it will not be much. To harvest a decent harvest of tomatoes, after planting seedlings in open ground and before harvesting, a number of activities are necessary:
If you plant seedlings in the ground early, you can get an earlier harvest and increase the fruiting period. However, there is a risk of death of the planted plants from frost. In most cases, tomatoes die at temperatures from +2 to -1˚С.
It is most effective to make a general film cover for the entire bed. To do this, it is convenient to dig wire arcs onto which the film is stretched when it gets colder. If during the day the temperature does not rise above 15˚C, the film does not need to be removed.
You can make individual shelters-caps from paper, fabric, film, boxes - any material that can be used to cover a tomato bush, creating your own microclimate under it.
Cover the bush with a bucket
Low-growing seedlings can be covered with earth before the onset of frost and dug up after the frost has passed. Try to cover the entire plant with soil. If the tops do freeze, stepsons will grow from the surviving lateral buds, from which you can get a good harvest.
Burying a bush
Tomatoes need rare but abundant watering. Frequent watering in small portions is harmful, as is excessive watering. Lack of moisture leads to blossom end rot, while excess moisture creates favorable conditions for gray rot and late blight.
Tomatoes love dry tops, so watering is done only at the root. When watering by sprinkling (from a watering can, from a hose with a sprinkler), the temperature of the soil and air sharply decreases, which has a bad effect on flowering, increases the shedding of flowers, and delays the setting and ripening of fruits. In addition, this increases air humidity, which contributes to the spread of fungal diseases.
The need for watering can be determined by the appearance of the leaves. If there is a lack of moisture, they darken and wither in the heat.
For the first 10-15 days after planting the seedlings, the plants do not need to be watered. The water poured into the hole during planting should be enough for rooting and growth to begin.
When active plant growth begins and ovaries appear, the need for water increases sharply. If there is no rain during this period, watering is carried out once every 5-7 days, pouring 3-5 liters of water into each hole.
During the period of fruit growth, the soil should be constantly moist (this can be achieved by mulching). Sudden changes in soil moisture cause green fruits to stop growing and ripe ones to crack.
When fruits begin to ripen, watering of early-ripening low-growing varieties is reduced, and tall varieties, on the contrary, are increased.
Typically, the first fertilizing is carried out approximately 10 days after planting the seedlings in the ground. Per square meter, apply 5-6 g of urea, 20-25 g of double superphosphate, 6-10 g of potassium salt or a similar amount of other nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers.
Further feeding is carried out every 7-15 days, depending on what is fed and the condition of the plants. With a lack of nitrogen, plant growth stops, the leaves and stems turn pale green, then the leaves turn yellow and fall off, starting from the bottom of the stem. With a lack of phosphorus, plants do not absorb nitrogen well, which leads to stunted growth. The stem and petioles acquire a bluish color, and later the leaves turn gray. With a lack of potassium, small yellow-brown spots form on the edges of the leaves, the edges of the leaves curl, and brown spots appear on the fruits.
At the beginning of growth, it is better to use liquid organic fertilizers - a solution of cow manure or bird droppings, 0.6-0.8 liters per plant.
Fertilizing with herb infusion has a good effect on the development of tomatoes. The grass is placed in a barrel (plastic or well-painted metal), filled with water and the lid is loosely closed. After two weeks, the infusion is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10 and used for watering (3-5 liters per plant). The best infusion is obtained from nettle, but you can use any herb, including seeds - the seeds die from long soaking and fermentation. Such fertilizer has a great advantage - you don’t need to buy it, you don’t have to go anywhere to get it, usually there is plenty of grass both on the site itself and next to it. If the soil fertility is good, you don’t need to use either mineral fertilizers or manure - an infusion of grass will suffice. Watering with infusion is done once every 7-14 days, depending on the condition of the plants. It is impossible to water with undiluted infusion, so as not to “burn” the roots and soil with nitrogen.
When choosing a place for a barrel, keep in mind that when grass ferments, a very unpleasant odor is released. Therefore, it is better to place such a barrel in a remote corner of the site.
Loading the barrel with grass
In addition to the usual, foliar feeding can be carried out (as an addition to the main diet, but not as a replacement for it). For this, highly soluble fertilizers are used, for example, per 10 liters of water 16 g of urea, 10 g of superphosphate and 10 g of potassium sulfate. Potassium chloride and other fertilizers containing chlorine are not used because tomatoes do not tolerate it well. Superphosphate does not dissolve completely in water, so it is soaked for a day in water in a ratio of 1:10 and stirred periodically, and before spraying, the solution is filtered through several layers of gauze. For spraying, you can also use an infusion of herbs, diluting it in a ratio of 1:20.
It is better to spray in the evening so that the solution applied to the leaves dries slowly. Such feeding is often combined with treatment against diseases - to combat fungal diseases, 2-3 times per season, especially after rains, the leaves are treated with Bordeaux mixture or other copper-containing preparations.
After watering, the soil is loosened, destroying the formed crust, and at the same time destroying weeds. The first loosening should be deep (about 10 cm deep). This creates conditions for good soil heating, which is important for the plant to begin active growth, and provides air access to the roots. Subsequent weeding is carried out to a depth of 4-5 cm to prevent soil compaction and swimming. If this is not done, the functioning of the root system will significantly deteriorate. Of course, loosening, especially near the trunk, should be done carefully so as not to damage the roots.
Loosen the soil
Weeds take nutrients from tomatoes, block light, contribute to increased humidity and the development of diseases - all these are good reasons for regular weeding of beds and rows. Weeds (preferably crushed and without seeds) can be left in the rows and on the beds - they will serve as mulch (soil cover that retards the growth of weeds and the evaporation of moisture from the soil) and an additional source of carbon dioxide necessary for plant growth.
In addition to chopped grass, compost, humus, and special film can be used as mulch. It is better to start mulching the soil in the beds after the planted plants have taken root and begin to grow actively - mulch, if it is not a dark film, can prevent the soil from warming up, which is necessary at the initial stage of growth. Until then, all weeds can be used to mulch the rows.
Hilling is a controversial procedure. Some experts argue that hilling is absolutely necessary, others say that it is unnecessary and even harmful. We, based on our own experience, can confidently say that you can get a good harvest with or without hilling.
To understand whether it is necessary to hill up tomato bushes, you need to understand why it is needed in the first place. The meaning of hilling is simple - it allows the tomato to grow additional roots. For example, if you carry out hilling after the appearance of the lower stepsons, the stems of these stepsons will give off their own roots and will grow almost like separate plants, which will allow you to get more full-fledged bushes (and therefore a harvest) with the same number of seedlings. Hilling tomatoes of low-growing varieties makes the plants more stable, which allows you to avoid wasting time and effort tying them up. Otherwise, if the seedlings are planted deep enough, the root system will be sufficiently developed to avoid hilling.
To accelerate the ripening of fruits and increase productivity, a tomato bush must be shaped. Formation includes removing leaves, pinching, thinning ovaries and pinching. For beginning gardeners, formation, especially pinching, raises many questions, which we will answer in detail in the second part of the article.
